The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is proud to present Emerging Current, the 2025 Contemporary Art Fellowship. Opening Saturday, November 8, 2025, and running through February 22, 2026, this exhibition spotlights five leading Native / First Nations artists engaging with multimedia art in powerful and forward-looking ways.
Since its founding in 1999, the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship is a biennial program that celebrates, supports, and amplifies voices of contemporary Native American and First Nations artists. It selects four Artists as Fellows via an independent jury plus one Invited Artist — an artist of established exhibition history and significant contribution to contemporary art. Works from each selected artist are purchased and become part of the Eiteljorg Museum’s permanent collection. This program raises awareness of contemporary Native art, supporting not only the art itself, but also relationships, publications, exhibitions, and collection growth.
The 2025 Emerging Current Fellows and Invited Artist are:
| Role | Artist | Affiliation / Identity |
|---|---|---|
| Invited Artist | Jean LaMarr | Northern Paiute / Achomawi [Pit River], Susanville Indian Rancheria, CA |
| Fellows | John Feodorov | Navajo [Diné], based in Seattle, WA |
| Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich | Koyukon Dené / Iñupiaq, Anchorage/Coldfoot, Alaska | |
| Maria Hupfield | Wasauksing First Nation [Anishinaabe], Toronto, Ontario, Canada | |
| Cannupa Hanska Luger | Mandan / Hidatsa / Arikara / Lakota, Glorieta, New Mexico |
Each of these artists works across a range of media — sculpture, installation, performance, painting, multimedia, etc. Their practices engage with identity, place, culture, history, and the present moment.
Some of the opening and public-program highlights:
Opening Date: November 8, 2025 (opens to public).
Opening Celebration (Thursday, Nov. 11): Fellowship Awards and Celebration (5:00-8:30 PM), with hors d’oeuvres, buffet dinner, cash bar.
Virtual Fellowship Discussion Panel (Friday, Nov. 12): 2:30-4:00 PM. An online event where artists and others reflect on themes and practices.
Members-Only Coffee & Conversation (Sat, Nov. 13): Morning session 9:00-10:00 AM to interact with the fellowship artists.
Shifting Boundaries Gallery Tour + Q&A (Sat, Nov. 13): 10:00 AM-12:30 PM. Public tour led by the artists themselves.
Emerging Perspectives: These artists are doing more than preserving tradition — they’re pushing boundaries, experimenting with new media, critiquing power structures, and offering fresh narratives.
Permanent Impact: The works purchased will be part of Eiteljorg’s permanent collection, meaning the “voice” of this exhibition continues beyond the run.
Community & Conversation: Public programs furnish opportunities to learn directly from the artists, ask questions, and engage with broader issues (history, identity, social justice, environment).
Impactful Experience: Seeing art in person gives texture, scale, context, and emotional presence that digital images often can’t replicate.
At We Like Indy, we believe that Emerging Current is a must-see for everyone: artists, students, educators, families, and friends. It is a chance to engage with powerful stories and beautifully crafted art, while deepening understanding of Native and First Nations perspectives in America today. Mark your calendars, register early, and join us. This is more than an exhibition — it is a conversation, a gathering, and a shared experience.
Photos by Eiteljorg Musuem Website
Marketing
